PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Stefan Phillips (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Denny Koeman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Phillips
vs
Koeman

193 cm
18
161 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
18
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Stefan Phillips!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Denny Koeman!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Aafke Stam and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Koeman moves into the clinch.

Koeman lands a takedown into guard.
Koeman not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Koeman trying to control but Phillips is working from the bottom.
Koeman stops Phillips from standing up.
Koeman trying to control but Phillips is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Phillips has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Koeman can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Phillips looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phillips is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Phillips chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Koeman.
Koeman fails to land the takedown.
Phillips cracks the inside of Koeman's front leg.
Koeman darts in looking for a takedown but Phillips gets double underhooks and turns Koeman into the cage.
Stefan Phillips has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Denny Koeman.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Koeman pushes Phillips up against the cage in a clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Koeman takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Koeman should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Koeman fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Phillips tries to pull guard but Koeman holds him up against the cage and eventually Phillips drops back down to his feet.

Phillips jumps guard and drags Koeman to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Koeman stops Phillips from standing up.
Koeman is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Koeman stands up and waves to Phillips to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phillips throws a sloppy head kick and Koeman moves out of range easily.
Koeman misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Phillips connects with the punch.
Phillips buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Phillips avoids the head kick by Koeman.
Phillips keeps Koeman at a distance using the push kick.
Koeman misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Phillips checks a low kick from Koeman.

Phillips shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phillips looks to land a strike but Koeman avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Phillips trying to control the position from guard on top but Koeman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Phillips would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Phillips trying to control but Koeman is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Stefan Phillips will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Koeman throws a right and a left that Phillips avoids nicely.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Phillips gets control of Koeman's arms and successfully pulls guard. Phillips will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Phillips wants to stand and escape but Koeman is having none of it.
Phillips working a defensive guard here.
Phillips really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Koeman controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Phillips will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Phillips wants to stand and escape but Koeman is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koeman slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Koeman throws a big elbow that misses.
Koeman trying to control the position from guard on top but Phillips is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Phillips goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Nice takedown defense from Phillips. No joy for Koeman on that attempt.
Koeman tries for a takedown but Phillips sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Koeman shoots in looking for a takedown. Phillips tries to sprawl out of it but Koeman keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Phillips manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Stefan Phillips has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Denny Koeman.
Koeman is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phillips swats away the attempt to clinch by Koeman.
Koeman misses with a takedown attempt - Phillips sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Denny Koeman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice takedown defense from Phillips. No joy for Koeman on that attempt.

Phillips forces Koeman back against the cage and clinches.
Phillips blocks a body shot from Koeman.
Koeman lands a nice shot to the body.
Phillips drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phillips is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Koeman is defending well.
Koeman wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Phillips tries a body shot but Koeman blocks it.
Phillips tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Koeman smiles and moves away.
Koeman looks to land a right hand but Phillips moved out of range.
Koeman tries to score a power double leg takedown but Phillips sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Koeman somewhat.

Koeman moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koeman displaying some good clinch control by pressing Phillips up against the cage.

Koeman's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Phillips tries to clinch but Koeman is having none of it.
Koeman is trying hard to land a takedown here. Phillips sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Koeman fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Phillips lands a head kick. Koeman smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Stefan Phillips is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Phillips moves into range and clinches up with Koeman.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stefan Phillips dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Koeman moves in looking to clinch but Phillips pushes him off.

Phillips drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Koeman's face as Phillips controls the position.
Phillips wants to lay and pray for a moment but Koeman keeps working.
Phillips misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
You can see the frustration on Koeman's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Koeman is looking for a sweep.
Phillips in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Koeman dodges the ground and pound from Phillips.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phillips is looking to take a break and control but Koeman is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Koeman is trying to get back to half guard.
Phillips trying to control the position but Koeman is working away.
Koeman defending against the ground and pound.

Phillips decides to stand back up.
Phillips chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Phillips throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Koeman.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phillips throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Phillips gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Phillips tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Koeman's elbow.

Koeman manages to break the clinch.

Koeman tries to sprawl but Phillips drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Phillips wants to control but Koeman is keeping him busy.
Phillips scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Phillips wants to take a breather but Koeman is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Koeman wants to get back to his feet.
Koeman manages to get to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phillips trying to control the position from guard on top but Koeman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Koeman wants to sweep here but Phillips controlling him for the moment.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Koeman closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Koeman.
Koeman is trying to pull guard but Phillips turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Phillips jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Koeman walks away with a smile on his face. Phillips gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Koeman shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Phillips pinned against the cage. Phillips gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Phillips goes for a double leg but Koeman avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Koeman continues to drive forward.
The fight stays on the outside here - Phillips looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Phillips scores with a head kick. Koeman tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Denny Koeman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stefan Phillips is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Phillips avoids the head kick by Koeman.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stefan Phillips showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Phillips, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stefan Phillips!